


Burning Bright

by RoninRae



Series: The Ronin Code [1]
Category: Yoroiden Samurai Troopers | Ronin Warriors
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, armors battle of armors realm of armors
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-17
Updated: 2017-12-17
Packaged: 2019-02-15 22:24:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13040691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoninRae/pseuds/RoninRae
Summary: It's been a year or so since their last meetup. Still no sign of Mia, but something else has become a problem. The transformation orbs have turned to stone. Enter the ever so cynical Ruby, and incredibly peppy Meri Nguyen, saving the Ronins from all new form of enemy Akuma sent by the White Witch. There seems to be a greater world of armor bearers than any of them could imagine, and someone has put a very hefty bounty on their heads. Can the two women help restore the Ronin armors, stop a full out war, get the bounty off their heads with getting scathed themselves?





	Burning Bright

**Author's Note:**

> First story uploaded ~! Woohoo. Still pretty rusty, but I hope for your honest input and any editing advice~! Yes, these have my ocs, but i'm hoping to get this put down in comic form. *hides* Think of it as sort GOT, but Ronins style but probably (not sure yet) more general audience rated. *shrugs* Anyways, nice to meet you all and enjoy~!

Chapter 1- Shadowland

There was always time for a nap. At least Ryo thought that as he pet his tigers head. Such a weird creature, that the people in his town had gotten accustomed to seeing him walk around with. Once when he was younger, swat tried to take him in the middle of downtown. That...didn't end well. He sighed, that was only a few years ago-! It felt like eons with all that happened. He looked into the window of the cafe he sat outside. He had grown into his face some since then and there was older presence in his blue eyes which made people read him older than he was. 20 wasn't a bad age though.

He felt a purr on his leg, "hey, boy. They should be here in a bit. Guess who's coming?"

The beast looked up at him curiously, tilting his enormous head to one side as beg a question. White Blaze was an enormous Himalayan white tiger with all the personality of a large mastiff. He smiled and rubbed his head, "Yuli."

The tiger purred louder and licked the young man's hand. The tiger’s ear twitched and he turned to look across the street. Ryo turned his attention that way as well. Many years of companionship with beast, he had learned to trust the tigers instincts about things, "White Blaze?"

The tiger growled softly as its hackles raised. Ryo saw the traffic clear and saw a small woman looking at them. She was....strange. she was obviously Japanese, her skin was as pale as cream and hair as white as snow. Her winter blue eyes were sad and piercing. She wore a black skirt suit with blue heels. Was she grieving? She reached in blazer and held out an orb that sparkled like a diamond in her hand. 

White Blaze dashed away from the table. Darting between traffic. Ryo got up from the table and ran after the beast. He could hear cars screeching and slid over the hood of a few. He rolled onto the sidewalk and looked up, she was gone. He stood up and dusted himself off as the tiger sniffed the ground. The cat looked confused and sat down, looking at him with confused eyes. 

Ryo looked right and left. Where had the small woman gone? He really didn't need this sort of drama in his life again. He had a good job, was starting back at school, and well was sort of happy. Didn't mean he wasn't prepared, but he would rather be in peace. He sighed, and rubbed a hand through his wild Raven hair. 

"Ryo?"

He looked back and smiled at the familiar voice , "Touma-!"

Touma was a lanky man with shaggy blue hair and sea green eyes. He wore gray polo over gray slacks with high tops. He raised a brow, "you guys just get here?"

"Did you see a really short white haired woman over here?"

Touma shook his head and grinned, "that your girlfriend?"

"What? No," Ryo grouched as White Blaze trotted over and licked Touma's hand. "Just someone i thought i recognized. "

"Nope. Just got here," Touma shrugged. "Im starved, can we head over to get something to eat? You know Seiji is going to be on time, and the other three are always late. "

Ryo laughed and nodded as they went to the crosswalk to cross back over. White Blaze sniffing the ground as the walked. Ryo found their table outside still empty and he sat back down, "i'll go in and order after you do. No pets and all. "

The person from the next table snickered, "that's a pet?"

White Blaze growled and Touma glared as he walked into the cafe to order, "he's very well behaved.”

Ryo looked the person over, they were hunched at the corner table. Foot up on a second chair and despite it being hot and humid, they wore a large baggy gray sweater with really baggy pants and what looked tan and red knee high boots.. The young woman was reading a book, “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy”, and looked about 17 or 18. They had charcoal colored hair, one lock curling against his forehead, and piercing blue eyes. Their posture, and the soft accent on their words led him to believe the person was American. He shrugged as he saw a spunky girl walking up, and White Blaze perked up as she got closer down the block.

She was small like the girl behind him, but with bright green eyes and a wild mop of curly pigtails tied with lacy pink bows. She wore big glasses, on her tiny round face, and she had headphones around her neck. She was dressed in pink overalls, with a white dress shirt and platform sneakers. The tiger got up and trotted over to her, Ryo fumbling as pounced on her and began licking her face. She squeaked loudly and giggled as the beast covered her face in kisses, Ryo laughed as he came over, “White Blaze leave the cute girl alone.”

The tiger almost seemed to smile as he sat back and the girl laughed loudly as her the young woman from the table behind came up, “the creature is a beast.”

Ryo gave the young woman a glare, “he wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” she said giving him a dark look.

“Oh, stop being that way Ruby,” the girl said as Ryo held out a hand to help her up. She popped up with an elegant bunny hop. Her curls bouncing with her and she smiled brightly as she adjusted her glasses. White Blaze purring loudly against her legs and he circled around her to sit behind Ryo. She smiled, “your kitty is cute.”

“That is not a cat, Meri,” Ruby said looking at the beast who was affectionately rubbing against his masters hip with his head. “That is a tiger.”

“Oh, shush,” she smiled at Ryo and held out a hand. Her nails were bright pink and glittered in the sun, “I’m Meredith, and this is Ruby. We’re visiting our relatives for our summer break.”

Ryo shook her hand and sat back down at the table, “I’m Ryo Sanada and don’t mind White Blaze, I’ve been with him since I was a kid. He’s never bit a single person.”

Ruby rolled her eyes and slogged back to the table in the back corner, “don’t get your face bit off.”

“Don’t mind Ruby, she’s running on two red bulls and a five hour energy from our trip,” she giggled and turned a chair around to sit down across from Ryo while still being at the table with Rubin. She looked back at her companion, “did you order?”

“Yeah.”

“Great,” she chirped as the tiger came over to lay next to her. “He likes me~!”

“For lunch,” Ruby snorted under her breath and glanced at the beast who chuffed at her.

“Oh, shush,” Meri repeated and smiled at Ryo, folding her hands under her chin. “You all alone today, Mr. Ryo?”

“Nah, my buddy is ordering,” Ryo said just as Touma came out with a try of food. He laughed, “that all for you?”

Touma smirked, “nah, figured i would treat this time seeing as I goofed when cooking that one night.”

Meri smiled at the new man, “oh, he’s darling.”

“Meri,” Ruby grumbled.

“What? He is,” she snapped back, “am I not allowed to compliment anyone too?”

Touma sat down the trays and say White Blaze snuggling against her platformed shoe, “looks like you made some new friends. You’re good at that.”

“Thanks,” Ryo snorted reaching for a pastry.

Touma held out a hand to her, “Touma Hashiba.”

Ruby looked up with a raised brow and Meri jumped up to shake his hand fervently, “HASHIBA?!!! As in Hashiba tech?”

Touma laughed as he rubbed the back of his head with his free hand, “yeah. That’s my Dad’s company.”

Meri grinned ear to ear, “I’m Meredith Nguyen~! But you can call me Meri! Or Meri-chan! Or ….”

“Meri,” Ruby grouched and deflated looking back at her companion. She stuck out her tongue at the person who was slouched and reading.

“Sorry, I get excited real easy,” Meri apologized softly.

“No, that’s fine,” Touma said smiling at the small woman. She was so profoundly genuine with her emotions. It was...well...refreshing. He felt his cheeks get warm with embarrassment, she was rather cute as well. 

“Did you get a girlfriend and not tell your best friends,” a voiced laughed from behind them.

Ryo laughed as Touma turned scarlet looking back. Meri peered around Touma and saw three more grown men and a teenager. The three men were all real cute as well. Was today her lucky day for boy scoping? Seemed to be and a smile stayed on her cute spunky face. The man who was chuckling was a large man with wild indigo hair, and broad but smiling face. He was built bigger than anyone else in the group of men, with strong wide shoulders. He was dressed in tank with slacks and plain tennis shoes, each of his strong muscles glistening with sweat. She gulped as she looked at the man on his left. He was much more normal in physique, but he had a soft gentle smile. He dressed in a graphic t-shirt and jeans, with a sweater around his waist and high tops. His hair was a wild auburn curls, much like her own, that framed his sweet face and brilliantly blue eyes. On the big man’s right, was the probably the prettiest man she had seen on the whole trip. He had pale blonde hair and piercing lavender eyes set a in a sharp face. His hair swooped over the left side of his face and he had a straight emotionless face. He wore a nice blazer over a dress shirt and jeans, with very nice loafers. The young teenager next to him, seemed intrigued by her presence. He was mousy, politely, but with nice bright blue eyes. He wore a baggy shirt over some jeans, with some green and blue jordans. Today was definitely her lucky day. 

Touma shook his head, “no, they were sitting across from us and White Blaze likes her.”

Meri came out from behind Touma and held out a spunky hand, “I’m Meri. That’s Ruby over there at the table. We’re visiting our extended family for our break from school.”

Ruby raised a hand as acknowledgment to her existence as she focused on her reading.

The big man shook her hand warmly, “I’m Shu Lei Faun, nice to meet you shortie.”

She pursed her lips at the big man as friendly gentleman interrupted to shake her hand, “don’t mind him. He’s full of jokes that aren’t funny. I’m Shin Mauri.”

“Hi,” she chirped and looked at the blonde.

“Seiji Date, and this is Yuli,” the blonde said abruptly.

Yuli gave him a raised brow and then said to her, “are you...in high school?”

“Oh goodness, no,” Meri laughed as she stuck her hands in her pockets. “Ruby and I are first year Med Students. I’m specializing in female medicine, Rubin is going to be a brilliant surgeon. We just happen to be short, I’m only 5 feet without platforms on, and Ruby is 5’1’’.”

Ryo snorted and thought about the tiny woman he saw earlier. She was even smaller than they were, even with heels. Her face was haunting, and eyes were sad. Was she like them? She had an orb. He picked up a roll to eat as Yuli sat down across from him, and picked up a pastry as well. The tiger bounded over and licked the young man’s face as he asked, “are you okay?”

“Hm? Just thinking about something I saw earlier,” he smiled warmly not to alarm the young man. He had gone through so much, and Ryo didn’t want to worry any of them that things might be stirring up again. Especially, where Yuli was coming from. He not only lost his mom and dad years ago, but the woman who had taken him in years ago had vanished. No one knew where Mia was, she had disappeared without any sort of notice. No letter, no email, just nothing and not even phone call since. Yuli stayed mostly with Shin and his family. For a while, he had a hard time with school and he was actually do pretty well again with Touma tutoring him, Shu taking him out for evening runs, and Seiji coaching him with Kendo. Maybe, he hoped, it was nothing.

Touma raised a brow at him and then said to Meri as Ruby got up to get their order and disappeared inside, “that’s impressive. What’s her deal?”

“She didn’t want to be here,” Meri said pursing her lips and shaking her head. “She’’s just an introvert, don’t take anything she says to personally.”

Shu flopped into a chair next to her, “has anyone told you, that you’re cute.”

She laughed and patted his face, “wouldn’t be the first, but they were a lot smoother than you are, hunny bear.”

“He’s not smooth at all,” Shin laughed and sat down next to the big guy. “He thinks with his stomach.”

“Hey,” Shu quipped with a grin ear to ear and Meri winked at him. Her curls springing as she turned to see clouds moving in. 

Seiji looked up as he crossed his arms, the air was cold and she shivered terribly as Ruby came back out with their food in a to go bag. She looked at Ruby who glanced up at the sky with their blue eyes, “I think we should go, Meri.”

“Yeah, I didn’t bring a coat,” she agreed and waved to the boys, “nice meeting you all~! I’m sure, we’ll meet up again~!”

Ruby rolled her eyes as her companion started skipping off. She was hardly enthused to follow her as the sky started to darken more and more. The wind picked up and was chillier than normal for this time of year. White Blaze chuffed and whined as the two left, purring as he got up to lick Yuli and purr against him. Yuli knelt down and scratched his neck, “hey, big guy. You’ve been good?”

The tiger gave him a sloppy lick on his face as the wind continued to build up. Yuli looked up and felt a cold spot on his skin, “is...is that snow?”

“What in the world,” Seiji said as soft white flakes began to fall. 

Shu stood up, “it’s the wrong time of year for snow?”

The wind picked up hard as the air turned even more frigid. Shin looked around and slumped a little, “not this again….”

“We don’t know what this is,” said Touma as the Shin pulled on the sweater he had from around his waist. White Blaze perked up and growled, Ryo turning his eyes and saw the woman standing across the street again.

Ryo stood up as she held out the orb, tears were streaming down her face.The other four men stood quietly as White Blaze growled at her. The tiger bolted just as she dropped the orb, vanishing in snow. The orb glowed brightly as rolled the ground. A crack slowly began to form in it, small and tiny at first, thicker and spilled with cold light as the tiger tried to grab for it. The orb split light an egg, and threw the tiger back with a explosion of light, blinding the group of men. The air turned even more frigid as the light turned into a creature. It was bigger than they were and sort of resembled a mix between a dinosaur and a prey mantis. It was white as the snow that was falling with pale blue faceted eyes. It moved with quick but twitchy motions, it sniffed the air and licked its lips. Its body was sleek and looked very much like a raptor. It narrowed its eyes at them and hissed as it shifted its long claws and started to stalk towards them.

White Blaze picked himself up and growled as he jumped at it. The beast was slapped by the creature’s tail and it roared loudly. Hissing as it rattled loudly. 

“What the hell is that thing,” Shu growled as it jerked towards them and hissed.The group looked up as more of the creatures began to appear from the shadows hissing and clicking as they approached with what seemed like caution. Touma looked at the creatures as Ryo slid to his tiger, and one of the creatures looked at him straight in the eyes.

“They’re wolves,” Touma hissed.

“What,” Shin said as one lunged and nipped at him. He kicked the creature in the head and sent it sprawling, the others seemed to almost snicker at it falling because of the small mortal man. 

Yuli stepped back and hid behind Seiji, “they look like dinosaurs.”

Touma growled at the group, “press back, they’re going to try and break us up like wolves break up a herd.”

Seiji stepped back, putting Yuli between him, Shu, and Touma. He may have grown up with this sort of thing happening but but this was even beyond them. These were more primal creatures, not armored goons. No these were quick witted beasts who watched them with hungry eyes. They did not see them as warriors, but as meat. 

The largest one lunged at Ryo and White Blaze. Ryo reached in his pocket just as a wall of flame came between the two. The beast reared and screeched back, its muzzle and claws seared by the flames that was between. 

Seiji raised an eyebrow, “did you do that, Ryo?”

“No, she did,” Yuli said pointing towards the alleyway. 

Ruby stood behind the creatures, her blue eyes glowing red like embers. She clenched her hand and the creature was enveloped by fire, screeching like nails on a chalkboard as it withered to ashes. The other creatures looked at her, and hissed as she placed one hand on her hip and the other she wagged playfully, “nah ah ah, those ronins are ours.”

“You really think we’d let our bounty get nabbed up by the White Witch,” said the incredibly perky voice of Meri as she walked up beside the four men and young man. She winked at Touma who’s cheeks turned red and Seiji scowled at her. “Absolutely, not~!”

“Bounty,” Shu asked. “We have a bounty on us?”

“Bout to be expected,” Shin sighed and watched as Meri skipped between the creatures. They nipped at her and she moved as if she knew exactly where they were gonna bite. She pet one on the nose and roared as its skin peeled from her touch. “Why don’t we ever run into anyone normal?”

Meri kneeled down and touched White Blazes head, her hand glowing. The tiger stirred as if she was healing him and licked her hand softly. She winked at Ryo, “don’t worry, we’re mostly bluffing.”

“I hope,” Ryo said as he realized she was healing his friend.

She gave a small giggle and ambiguous wink as she held up a compact, “So Ruby, shall we get this party started?”

Ruby grinned and spread her hands, the ground under each creature quaked and began to crack. The cracks began to open, and lava began to spill out as the creatures started to scramble, “been a while.”

Meri giggled as the creatures scattered, one turned and lunged at her. She blew a kiss at the mirror with a wink before lifting it up, “Amaterasu omikami, Douuuujinnn~!”

“Show off,” Ruby said as the bandages on her hands raveled free. Her skin was burned badly on each hand, but there was a ring with a garnet seared into each ring finger, “Kagatsuchi Dounouki~!”

White Blaze rose to his feet as the group of humans watched the two women transform. Meri had light spring forth from the mirror. Each band of light became a band of ribbon with surrounded her forming a very elegant thin white armor. Each joint lined with gold and a red chest plate with a golden plate on the back. Her eyes glowed yellow as her hair broke from their pigtails, turning black as makeup lined her face. A staff with a very sharp blade at the end appeared her hand and she slashed through three of the creatures, “hey, remember that time in LA?”

Ruby walked out the flames around her in a thicker armor, her eyes glowing red and her hair white as the snow. Her armor was nothing like any of them had seen before, made of lava rocks and glowed between the seams of the armor like molten rock. Each step made the earth shake, the creatures lunged at her, “you mean Shikaisen’s little mongrels?”

“Yeah, wasn’t that a whole lot of fun,” she cooed back slashing through another creature. Whipping her staff around and stabbing one in the chest behind her, she smiled at it, “didn’t mommy tell you not to sneak up on people?”

“I’m not sure what your definition of fun is anymore, but that or this is hardly that,” Ruby said as she continued to raise flames. Igniting several on fire, “don’t get to sweet on them, Meri, they might bite your face off.”

“Oh boo, and I wanted to keep one as a pet,” Meri winked back at her friend who growled causing the flames to grow higher and catching many more on fire. “Oooh, so that’s how I get you to show some emotion. Gotta piss you off some.”

Several of the remaining creatures leaped at the men. Meri raised a hand, and shield of light came between them and the beasts. She slashed through them with ease and they evaporated into the snow from whence they came. She smiled and looked around then pouted, “that was it?”

“What do you mean, ‘that was it’, why would you want more,” growled Touma in frustration at the two women who had more witty banter in their battle than actual concentration on the creatures.

“Because it takes a lot of energy to summon an armor, and its a waste that it ended so soon,” she pouted breaking the shield. She was several inches taller in the armor and could look him in the eye. She heard a loud crash behind her and winced, “case and point.”

Ryo looked around the woman in the majestic armor and noticed that Ruby had fallen to her knees. Her amor slowly disintegrating as she collapsed on the ground. He dashed to his feet and caught the other small woman just as she passed out. Her hair returning to its ashen color, “who are you guys?”

Meri seemed to ponder her answer carefully and shed her armor, “we’re an organization of well meaning individuals with armors who police and maintain the worlds order with the other realms and within our realm. You can call us the Men in Black.”

“I saw that movie,” Shu said to her with a stiff look.

“Shit,” she cursed and looked at them with a sigh. “I can’t tell you that...right now. One of your friends sent us though, i can tell you that.”

“Friends,” Shin asked. “We have friends?”

“You’d be surprised how many people are rooting for you guys,” she smiled as she started to fix her curls back in place. “But at the same time, you lot have created quite commotion.”

“You said we were your bounty,” Seiji said crossing his arms.

“No, I said you had a bounty on your head. We are not bounty hunters, I can tell you that too,” she added and he glared again but only smiled her brighter. She was unphased by his grouchy accusatory tone.

Yuli pushed past the guys, there was hope and sadness in his big blue eyes, “was it Mia?”

Meri looked at him woefully, feeling how much that name meant to him, “I don’t know that name. Sorry.”

“Who’s the White Witch,” Ryo said looking at her as he lifted Ruby onto White Blazes back. “Can you tell us that and why she wants us?”

“Like I said, you all have a bounty on your head. It’s a stiff one at that,” she said as White Blaze came over and chirped against her leg. She scratched his head and knelt down, “so a lot of people in power are after you and your armors. The White Witch happens to be a power that is not to happy to have you all around.”

Touma looked at her sharply, “how do we know you two aren’t?”

Meri took insult to his tone and the look and stood up quickly. She poked his chest, “we did not have to fly halfway across the world to save your sorry asses. We wanted to do a favor for our friend, and we risked our lives to do it. Now, why didn’t you all just armor up and take of them for us, if you were so apt to do so?”

Touma growled and bit his lip.

“We can’t summon them,” Ryo said looking at her.

“You…. you can’t,” she said with some shock and looking at him with big eyes. “Did you forget?”

“No,” Seiji said firmly and showed her the transformation orb in his pocket. It was covered in stone. “We just can’t.”

“Well, that’s no good,” she said with another cute pout. Touma glanced away with pink cheeks, how could someone be so incredibly adorable? He glanced away as Seiji shot him a look and he shrugged as Shu nudged his rib. Great, they could always read him like a book.

Ryo laughed warmly, “so are you two gods?”

“No,” she said shaking her head. Her curls springing back and forth, “It’s complicated. Long story, like I’m sure how you guys got your armors is a long story reserved for another day. When we have a more time to relax, i can tell you.”

Shin sighed, starting to get irritated with her vagueness. He decided to repeat an earlier question, he wanted to be done with this matter sooner rather than later but at this rate, it was going nowhere. “So who’s this White Witch?”

Ruby shifted on White Blaze and looked up, “the one who wants to cover the world in snow and ice.”

“Great,” Ryo said, “the small woman. Right?”

Meri looked at him and then at Ruby then back at him, “small woman?”

Ryo thought back, “you know short white hair, super small but wearing a business suit?”

Meri blinked and looked to Ruby who was starting to stretch out her muscles, “No. That’s definitely not her.”

Meri pursed her lips, looking incredibly worried and frustrated. Yuli came up to her, “do you know who she is?”

“She…..was a friend,” Ruby said abruptly and Meri looked off. “Leave it at that. She’s not the witch, probably works for her in some way now.”

“Oh, sorry,” Ryo said to her and she shrugged as she hugged his tiger.

“We should get going and find someplace warm to stay til the storm pasts, “ Meri said firmly, “preferably somewhere with food.”

“My kind of girl,” Shu grinned ear to ear walking with her and clapping an arm around her shoulder. She laughed warmly at him as the group started walking.

Yuli came over to Ruby as they walked, “are you okay?”

“Fine,” she said slumping on the tiger and turning her head to look at him. “My armor was meant for a god, not human. It reminds me that I’m human quite a bit.”

Yuli nodded, “is she a god?”

“No, but her armor likes her,” Ruby snickered as she yawned. “You’ve been through this with them before?”

He nodded softly.

Ruby smirked as she lightly tapped his shoulder with her knuckles, “you’re stronger than you think you are.”

Yuli smiled at her nodded politely. He strangly believed her, but he was more worried than ever before.


End file.
